LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 189
Chapter 189
[(I don’t think I’m skilled enough to play this much…)]
[(Be confident.)]
[(But it’s really been a long time since I last played.)]
Despite his uncharacteristic modesty, On Raon soon began to lightly touch the piano keys with his straight fingers.
“Wow… This song sounds really good like this.”
“What the heck, why didn’t he play it for us first but for those strangers over there?”
“Kang Ji-woo, you’re jealous of the weirdest things. It’s gross.”
The members of Orca, who had known Raon for a year, were fussing over their youngest member’s new talent.
To enhance the feel of the piano cover, On Raon played a quiet and gentle arrangement of ‘Dream’, a song that, despite its somewhat melodic nature, was still a dance track.
Although he hadn’t completed it to his high standards, he had worked hard in various ways to create a satisfactory piece on his own, so it wasn’t difficult for him to pull it off.
Thanks to his meticulous adjustments, the song resonated with a more dreamy quality.
A curious violinist was naturally drawn to the sound.
The citizens, who were immersed in the busking that had arrived like spring rain, wore happy smiles.
The camera captured the scene, allowing viewers to feel the live reactions vividly.
– Wow, what is this song? It’s really good.
– I was waiting for the Chopsticks March from the preview, but suddenly found a song that’s more to my taste.
– What’s this… Why is he so good?ㅠㅠㅠ
– Seriously, what can’t our boy do? If he plays the piano this well too, my heart won’t survive.ㅠㅠ
– The song playing now is ‘Dream’ by Orca, the group our On Raon is in as the youngest member! I’m not saying this just because I’m a fan, but it’s really a great song, so please listen to it a lot.ㅠㅠ!!!
On Raon didn’t mention the song’s title, thinking it would seem too blatant if he promoted their song directly.
However, thanks to the production team’s thoughtful insertion of the caption ‘ORCA｜Dream (piano ver.)’ at the beginning of his performance, ‘Dream’ immediately climbed the real-time search rankings on music sites.
When On Raon’s hands stopped, the audience applauded with a hint of regret for the brief but wonderful music they had heard.
On Raon, who had briefly shown a surprised expression, responded with a bow and a smile.
[(Thank you.)]
The studio panelists also chimed in.
[Wow, how lucky are those people over there. They get to breathe the same air as Muk Hye-sung and On Raon up close, and even get a piano performance. This is a memory that will last a lifetime.]
[Raon’s hands are so beautiful.]
[Until now, how should I put it… Raon seemed like a very uncontrollable and chaotic person, but seeing him play so well makes him look like a different person.]
[I want to hear more. Surely, this isn’t the only piece he’s going to play, right?]
[Actually, as far as I know, Hye-sung can play the piano too.]
Ending with a panelist naturally mentioning lines from the script, the screen then showed the scenery of Seoul Forest.
[(I don’t think it feels right playing alone, should we play together?)]
On Raon, who had briefly played the beginning of the Chopsticks March alone, suggested to Muk Hye-sung that they perform together.
“Let’s do that,” Muk Hye-sung replied cleanly and readily sat next to On Raon.
The sight of the two of them sitting side by side at the beautiful turquoise piano was enough to make the hearts of countless Eternals and Aeris flutter uncontrollably.
[(There’s no sheet music, so let’s just go with the flow!)]
[(We could get some.)]
[(No, I can match your pace.)]
[(Really?)]
[(Really. I can play well enough that it won’t be embarrassing even if it’s broadcasted.)]
Gone was the earlier shyness; On Raon, now full of enthusiasm, smiled brightly and eagerly coaxed Muk Hye-sung into an impromptu performance, making everyone watching feel good.
[Raon, after playing so well alone, has suddenly gained confidence.]
[What should I do? I’m so excited.]
[I think I’m going to become Raon’s fan starting today because everything he says and does is just too cute.]
The two briefly exchanged glances and immediately began a lively performance.
Their skill was even more impressive than when they played ‘Dream’.
Anyone could see that On Raon was happier than anyone else at that moment, with a clear smile as bright as cherished memories.
Occasionally, their rhythm would momentarily slip due to their overly pure improvisation, but On Raon naturally turned even that into part of the music with an innocent flair.
– I’ve watched the preview about 65 times, but hearing it again still feels so good.ㅠㅠ
– Their energy is amazing.ㅠㅠㅠ
– I really love jazz, and that kind of rhythm has to be innate.. On Raon’s rhythm is no joke.
– Just seeing On Raon’s part briefly looks incredibly difficult and intense.
[
With an ominous caption, Christine, carrying a violin case, stepped forward from the crowd.
As a foreigner took out a violin elegantly, the citizens gathered around to watch in surprise.
[
Even at that moment, Muk Hye-sung and On Raon were so engrossed in their performance that they didn’t notice Christine’s entrance.
The editing, showing the busy production crew or the citizens who had noticed Christine wondering if this was all planned, made Christine’s surprise entrance even more dramatic and eye-catching.
Christine, as expected, showcased her skills, making the already interesting music even richer.
At that point, no subtitles or panelist comments were needed.
The boy, fulfilling his childhood wish with eyes full of emotion and rosy cheeks, the man who calmly played the piano for his beloved cousin despite barely remembering the old memories, and the woman who satisfied her artistic desire while harmonizing with her colleague’s son without exchanging a single word or glance.
It was quite surreal.
[(Encore! Encore!)]
It was only natural that an encore was requested with heartfelt applause after the magical performance ended.
[(Thank you.)]
[(Thank you.)]
On Raon politely responded to the audience and gave Christine a thumbs-up with both hands.
[(It was a wonderful performance!)]
[(You two were great. I couldn’t resist the music calling to me, so I apologize for the intrusion.)]
[(No, really, it was amazing. By the way, who are you…?)]
[(Oh, I’m Christine.)]
Christine referring to herself as ‘Hannah’s colleague’ was skipped over as if it were a made-up story, and English subtitles were added.
As Christine finished her introduction with a charming smile, the screen momentarily paused, and the subtitle “Christine Wagner, 21-year veteran violinist” appeared with a pig tail icon at a suitable size.
Additional footage showed her playing the violin at past concerts and information about the recitals she planned to perform during her visit to Korea.
[<※This is 100% a real situation>]
Except for Muk Hye-sung, who was watching the footage in the studio, the rest of the cast couldn’t hide their amazement at Christine’s identity.
[Wow… she’s really impressive.]
[Are you saying that this was not planned in advance, and it happened purely by chance?]
[Yes. Until that morning, I didn’t even know Raon was coming, or that I’d be going to that forest, or that there’d be a piano there. Naturally, I also didn’t know such an event would occur.]
[Since it’s Hye-sung speaking, I’ll believe it, but it’s really hard to believe. How could this happen?]
[Wow… People used to joke that their lives were like a drama or movie, but this really feels like a music film like ‘Song Again.’ How can things happen like this in real life?]
[Ah… really. They were cool before, but now they’re just unbelievably cool. Maybe I should properly learn an instrument too.]
Following this, there was a segment of Christine chatting casually with the two.
– Muk-oppa debuted about 20 years earlier, and Christine’s eyes looked like they were about to pop outㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– But honestly, even as a Korean, doesn’t he look far from being almost forty… How is that face possible… Maybe he’s a vampire.
– The secret to Muk Hye-sung’s youthful appearance is sleep and celery (joke).
In fact, Christine had conducted an interview with the production team, intending to surprise On Raon by revealing that she was a colleague of On Raon’s mother, Jang Hae-na, and that she had a rough idea of who On Raon was.
However, Jang Hae-na, who was initially stunned by the unexpected news from overseas, later collected herself and requested that the interview not be aired, especially the parts about their family relationship.
Jang Hae-na apologized to Christine for abruptly ending their call and earnestly pleaded for her to prevent the family-related content from being broadcasted. Christine, being a long-time friend, graciously honored her request.
After all, family matters are not something others should meddle in.
Of course, the production team wasn’t keen on missing out on such a juicy story about a celebrity’s family ties.
Christine firmly insisted that if the interview were aired, she wouldn’t allow the performance footage to be broadcasted, resulting in all parts where On Raon claimed to be a fan of Jang Hae-na being edited out.
On Raon, who had been watching the broadcast nervously, uncertain of how much and in what way his relationship with Jang Hae-na would be mentioned, felt a bit puzzled by the completely omitted content but mostly relieved.
The broadcast, which hit its highest ratings when On Raon, Muk Hye-sung, and Christine played the Chopsticks March, easily surpassed last week’s ratings and continued smoothly.
– On Raon always eats so well, even at Aye Universityㅋㅋㅋㅋ I’m craving tonkatsu at this hourㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
– Langu is supposedly visiting an arcade for the first time, but why is he so good at games?
– On Raon boasted he could get fifth place, but his score on the punch machine was ridiculously low… Why is he so cute?
– The two guys taking idol poses and decorating the sticker photos so meticulously, isn’t that just too adorable?
– Officially a broadcast to become fans of On Raon + Muk Hye-sung.
– Was it just me, or was Muk Hye-sung’s segment much longer than usual this week?
– On Raon worked so hard that they had a lot to show, but since they can’t air it next week, they probably extended the time today.
– I can’t believe it’s already over… It doesn’t make sense… Ten to Ten should make these two permanent fixtures for the value of our subscription fees…
After the broadcast, which provided continuous laughter but left viewers with a deep sense of regret, the Orca members enthusiastically praised On Raon, who had clearly worked hard.
“You really did a lot over there.”
“You worked hard.”
“The response has been really good.”
However, it wasn’t until some time later that they fully grasped the impact of On Raon’s appearance on the highly regarded variety show “Ten to Ten.”